Device for moistening and applying gummed sealing-tapes to boxes.



G. s. WRIGHT. DEVICE FOR MOISTENING AND APPLYING GUIVIM E'D SEALING IAPES T0 BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23- N912.

Patented Oct. 24

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. G. S. WRIGHT.

DEVICE FOR MOISTENING AND APPLYING GUMMED SEALING TAPES T0 BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 23. 1912.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

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GEORGE S. WEIGHT, 011 ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB TO THE SEFTON MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

DEVICE FOR MOIS'IENING AND APPLYING GUIVIMED SEALING-TAPES T0 BOXES.

moaned.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Uct. 24L, 1916.

Application filed January 23, 1912. Serial N 0. 672,914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, GEORGE S. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anderson, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Moistening and Applying Gummed Sealing-Tapes to Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is intended more part1cularly for sealing the closure flaps of paste board boxes of the kind in which the flaps are hinged at opposite sides of the top, and the meeting end edges of the flaps are located at about the center of the top. It is customary to seal such boxes by applying a fairly broad band of tape, suitably gummed and moistened, to cover the opening or slit between the edges of the flaps and to extend on opposite sides thereof and also a suitable distance down the sides of the box from the top edges thereof. This sealing strip has commonly been applied by hand.

My invention consists in a hand-operated device for this purpose, comprising means for moistening and applying the strip or tape in position, for cutting off the requ1red length of tape, and then pressing it firmly against the walls and flaps of the box which it is intended to unite.

While my invention has been devised particularly for the purpose above described it will be obvious that it may be used wherever it is desired to apply a gummed strip to a surface for any purpose whatever and in any location, and it is limited neither to the particular use above described nor to the particular arrangement and combination of parts except in so far as they are specified in the following claims which define the scope of my invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective .view of my invention with a moisture supply tank shown connected thereto; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4, certain parts however being shown in elevation or partly so; Fig. 3 is a View showing the rollers (to be describedlater) in end elevation and detached from the remaining elements of the device; Fig. 4 represents a section on the line H of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 4: and Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a greatly reduced scale of a box of the type for use in connection with which my invention is especially designed, showng the tape applied thereto and sealing the flaps in closed position.

Referring first to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the box A for use with which my tool is especially designed has the top closed by folding inwardly the integral flaps BB hinged to opposite sides thereof and applymg over their meeting edges the broad tape C which at its ends D extends a suflicient distance down the sides E of the box to secure a firm grip thereon, it being understood that the strip is coated with gum upon the under side thereof, which is moistened before application to the box, and the strip pressed into place.

The tool or device which constitutes my invention and as above stated is employed to secure the strip in place on the box has a frame comprising the cheek pieces 7-7 be tween which are pivoted or journaled the various movable elements of the tool, and which are connected and suitably spaced apart by the cross bars 8 and 9 and the distributing pipe 10 which will be more fully described later. The movable elements comprise a moistening roll 11, a feed and pressure roll 12, a shear blade 13 and a retaining device let. The moistening roll comprises a body of felt 15, mounted upon a central hollow spindle 16, and faced at its ends by metal disks 17, which are threaded upon the shaft 18 being formed with central bosses 19 for this purpose. The shaft 18 is journaled at its ends in the cheek pieces 7-7 by reason of which the felt roll is freely revoluble. Directly beneath the felt roll is mounted the knurled feed and pressure roll 12 which is revoluble about a stationary spindle 20 the ends of which are eccentric with relation to the main body of the spindle, which latter may therefore be afforded a slight adjustment by rotating it in its bearings and securing it in suitable adjustment by a wire or red 21, preferably of spring metal, extending through a hole in the projecting end 22 of the spindle and anchored by means of a screw 23. Obviously this adjustment may be made by either bending the rod 21 or by suitably locating the hole in the spindle through which it projects, and in either event the roll 12 is adjusted relative to roll 11 so that there may be a slight pressure between the two, to

.the machine.

- which the wire may contribute if it is revided between the ends of the roller and the cheek pieces extend the arms 2525 of the movable cutter blade 13, and at their rear ends the arms just referred to are pivoted upon a stationary shaft 26 at the rearof the device, the oscillation of the jaw being limited by the screws 23, 23 on one of the cheek pieces. The cutter blade 13 is formed integral with its arms and within a rabbet 27 formed upon its outer face is secured a face or edge plate 28 of shear metal while at its lower edge is attached a wear strip 29 of brassor other suitable metal the strip and plate respectively being secured in position by screws 3031. Upon the cross strip .9 by means of screws 32 is secured the stationary shear blade 32 in position to co-act with the movable blade 13, one or both of the blades preferably being slightly inclined lengthwise along their cutting edges to operate with a shearing action.

At the front of the machine is provided a curved chute or guide 33 which guides the material between the shear blades, the chute being covered for a portion of its length by a cover plate 34. 'At its rear end however the guide 33 is uncovered. and above the same is mounted the oscillating shaft 14 of the retaining device from which the pointed fingers 14L depend into contact with the chute or the material thereon. At one end as shown at 35 in Fig. 5 the shaft projects beyond the cheek pieces and is perforated for the reception of the end of a spring wire or rod 36 which is anchored at its other end by a screw 37, the purpose and effect of the wire being to press the fingers into contact with the chute or the material thereon. As shown in Fig. 4 the course of the material is through the chute, under the retaining fingers, between the shear blades, around the feed roller 12, and back toward the front of In order however to guide the tape in the direction stated, a pair of stout wire guide fingers 38 partially surround the knurled roller and are anchored at their upper ends to a cross rod 39 and near their lower ends to a cross rod 39 both rods extending between the cheek pieces. It

will further be noted that the felt roller is" 'annularly grooved as at 47 to permit the passage of the tines or guides 38 for guiding the strip around the feed 7 roll. The felt roller revolves immediately below the feed pipe 10which is perforated at suitable intervals along its under side as at 44c to supply moisture to the, felt roller, and an inner pipe 44 supplies water to the center of the feed pipe and is controlled by a needle valve 45 tapped into the outer end ofthe feed pipe water tank 51.

which is enlarged for this purpose, and .provided with a knurled finger piece 6 for operating the same. At its incoming end the feed tube 10 is extended beyond the cheek pieces 7 and fitted with a plug valve etS upon the nipple 49 of which is forced the end of a flexible tube 50 connected to the Upon the cross bar 8 is mounted a handle 40 by means of a screw rod d1 extending through the handle bar and carrying upon its inner end a washer or holding plate 42 between which and the bar 8 is clamped a spring 4.3 which bears upon an arm of and normally depresses the movable jaw of the shears. At the rear of the device is arranged a presser roller 52 also mounted upon the cheek pieces and in position to bear upon the article to which the tape is to be applied.

The operation of the device will be readily understood especially from Fig. 4. The needle valve having been set to regulate the flow of water, the plug valve is turned to admit the supply to the feed tube, from whichit is fed upon the felt roll through the perforations above referred to so that the felt roller is kept constantly moist. A roll of tape (not shown) is mounted in a convenient location and the end inserted into the device following the path above described until it projects a suflicient distance from the feed roll-er to be applied to the side of the box to be sealed, and firmly attached thereto. The device is then moved rearwardly or in the direction of the handle across the top of the box so as to apply the tape thereto, the feed and moistening rollers of course turning as the tape is drawn through, and the movement of the device is continued down the side of the box a sufficient distance to provide the necessary hold for the end of the tape, and the latter is then severed by tilting the tool forwardly around the knurled feed roller until the pivoted shear blade is forced upwardly by pressure against the wall of the box and caused to coact with the stationary blade to sever the strip. The tool is then tilted rearwardly until the roller 52 bears upon the box whereupon the tool is moved upwardly with the roller 52 bearing upon the strip and pressing it into intimate contact with the box and causing it to adhere thereto. If desired, or found necessary the tool may be moved forward and backward over the strip a number of times with the roll 52 in contact therewith until the strip adheres properly, the end of the tape attached to the spool or supply being retained in position in the tool by means of the retaining fingers 14. When it is desired to again use the tool for applying a strip the material is again fed forward by hand between the moistening and feeding rolls and the latter rotated until a sufficient length thereof projects to be applied to 1,20a,ee7

the box, and the described operation repeated.

I claim:

1. In a device for applying adhesive strips to boxes, a feed roll, a chute for directing a strip of material thereto, a retainer cooperating with the chute, to retain the cut-off end of the adhesive strip, a pair of shears between the retainer and the feed roll and a pressure roll.

2. In a strip applying device, a moistening roll, a feed roll, a chute for feedingmaterial thereto, pivoted fingers cooperating With the chute for retaining the severed end of an adhesive strip, shearing mechanism befiopiea of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. '0."

tween the chute and rolls for severing the adhesive material and a pressure roll.

3. In a device for applying adhesive strips to boxes, a frame, a moistening roll 11, a feed roll 12, a pressure roll 52, and a pivoted shearing blade 13 mounted therein, a chute 33 for feeding a strip to the shearing blades and to the rolls and a retainer 14 co-acting With the chute to retain the cut-off end of the strip.

GEORGE S. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

F. V. POWELL, ROLLAND M. PETTIT.

Commissioner of Patents, 

